CareBridge

Inspiration

CareBridge was inspired by my mom. She has had many doctor appointments, like most of the population that has accessible healthcare, and recently had to manage a large cyst, symptoms, tests, and follow-up visits. It was hard for my family to remember what happened at each appointment and what needed to happen next.

My parents also do not always feel comfortable with English medical words. Important details can be easy to miss during an appointment because there is a lot to take in at once. I tried other health apps, but they mostly felt like record portals and did not help us prepare, remember, or follow up.

That is why I made CareBridge: a simple app that helps patients feel more prepared and less stressed.

What it does

CareBridge helps patients before, during, and after a doctor appointment.

• Add symptoms, diagnoses, surgeries, medications, allergies, or injuries to a medical timeline
• See health history in one clear place
• Write main concerns and questions before an appointment
• Record an appointment after asking everyone for consent
• Keep recordings encrypted on the device
• Save a transcript and follow-up notes
• Organize medical documents and important details
• Create a Health Action Plan for today, this week, or next month
• Share selected health information with a provider and revoke access later

How I built it

I built CareBridge as a mobile app using React Native, Expo, and TypeScript.

I created a design system with large readable text, lots of space, soft pink accents, blue action buttons, rounded cards, and simple navigation. I added local sign-up and login, editable personal information, and encrypted local storage for profiles, timelines, notes, recordings, transcripts, and action plans.

I used Expo Audio for appointment recording. Before recording, the app reminds users to ask their doctor for consent. After recording, the app encrypts the audio on the device and removes the unencrypted file.

Challenges I ran into

One of the biggest challenges was choosing what to include. I had ideas for documents, recordings, timelines, provider access, reminders, and more. I had to focus on the most important problem: helping someone prepare for an appointment and leave knowing what to do next.

Privacy was another challenge because health information is personal. I had to think about recording consent, encrypted storage, provider access, and keeping patient notes separate from provider notes.

I also worked on making every part editable, responsive, and easy to move through without making the app feel crowded.

Accomplishments that I'm proud of

I am proud that CareBridge feels calm and personal instead of like a hospital portal.

I am especially proud of the full appointment journey: prepare before the visit, record important details during the visit with consent, and build a clear plan after the visit.

The medical timeline, encrypted recording workspace, transcript area, Health Action Plan, and patient-controlled provider sharing all work together around one clear experience.

Most importantly, the project is based on a real problem my family has experienced.

What I learned

I learned that a good healthcare tool is not just a place to store medical records. It should help people know what to ask, remember what was said, and understand their next step.

I also learned that privacy and accessibility need to be part of the design from the beginning. Healthcare apps should help people organize and understand information without pretending to diagnose them or replace a doctor.

What's next for CareBridge

Next, I want to add secure cloud sync so users can safely access their information on more than one device. I also want to add production sign-in with email, Google, and Apple.

I want to add privacy-focused AI for appointment summaries and document explanations, optional caregiver tools, secure provider collaboration, and future health record connections using standards like FHIR.

My goal is to make CareBridge a trusted healthcare companion that helps patients and families feel less lost in the healthcare system.

Built With

• android
• eas-build
• encryption
• expo-audio
• expo-crypto
• expo.io
• healthcare
• ios
• react
• react-native
• typescript